Guarding the Light
by Terga Dare
Summary: AU fiction and the sequel/part 2 of Rising. Gohan and Piccolo are stranded far from home. But are they alone?
1. Chapter 1

A/N- Welcome to the sequel, or part 2, of Rising. This story begins exactly where the previous one left off. I would suggest reading Rising first, if you haven't already. It is the set up for what is to come. Also, as an FYI, just like Rising this will end rather abruptly. I intend to have at least three connected stories. So some of the loose ends from Rising may not be resolved just yet, but they are not forgotten. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer- I own nothing

Chapter 1

The man sneered in disgust at the prone figures before him. How had a Namek and a Saiyan half-breed managed to defeat Mavoy? They appeared to be so weak, helpless. Hearing someone approach, he faded from sight. Listening to the Elder's conversation, he noted King Kai's declaration that the two would recover. Silently, he transported himself away; his master would be interested in their prognosis.

xxxxxxx

Gohan sighed contentedly, floating above the mountain range he and Piccolo had chosen stay in. They had made their new home in a nice cave; it was spacious, dry, and the walls were amazingly smooth. The grassy area at the base of the mountain stretched for miles to the east, a perfect area for training. Directly to the west was an inlet to one of the massive oceans New Namek was blessed with.

'_Time to go kid.'_ Piccolo rose into the air to join his counterpart.

Gohan nodded as the two turned towards Elder Moori's village. It had been ten days since the battle with Mavoy and three since they had left the village. King Kai had arranged for a cosmic telephone call to Earth today.

Touching down on the soft blue grass, Gohan waved to the Namekian children. The Earth raised warriors fascinated them. Not only had they fought the tyrant Frieza, but they had also returned and helped them once more. Chuckling softly, Gohan mentally nudged Piccolo, turning his attention to the children. Growling irritably, Piccolo glanced at them and stopped. At least half of the youngsters had copied, if not his gi, then his cape and turban.

'_I think they like you!'_ Gohan teased.

'_Not a word of this to anyone! Do you hear me? Not a single word!'_ Once they had fully regained consciousness, the awestruck children had constantly followed Piccolo. For someone who had always valued his solitude, it made for an uncomfortable situation.

'_Oh come on, I know Vegeta would love to hear about your fan club!' _Gohan teased, enjoying his sensei's predicament as they made their way to the waiting Elder.

"Piccolo, Gohan," Moori nodded to them in turn. "I must say that you two look much better than when you left us. Though you know, you are both welcome to stay in one of the villages. You do not have to live alone in the mountains."

Gohan looked at the hopeful faces around him. The villagers had been very disappointed when he and Piccolo had left to find a more isolated location to call home.

'_You can stay if you want to kid. I don't intend to.' _Piccolo said, still keeping a wary eye on the children.

Gohan bowed to the Elder. "Thank you, but we feel much more comfortable on our own."

Moori nodded glumly. He had expected no less, but he had to try. After Nail had fused with Piccolo, they had lost their only true warrior. Having them stay would have been a definite boon. "Well, let's get started then." Motioning for the two to come closer, he searched for King Kai's presence.

"Ah, Elder Moori, I was wondering when you were going to join us." King Kai's jovial voice rang out, startling the Nameks present. "Dende, are you there?"

"Yes sir. Everyone is here." Earth's Guardian answered. On the Lookout, the Z-Warriors had gathered, as well as Chi-Chi, Goten, Bulma, Trunks, and Hercule.

"Okay, Gohan, Piccolo, this is a very long distance call. In fact, I had to ask the Grand Kai to help orchestrate this little conversation. You don't have long and this will probably be the only time we do this. Understand?"

"Yes King Kai, we understand. Please thank the Grand Kai for his assistance." Gohan said politely.

"Gohan, baby, is that you?" Chi-Chi called.

Piccolo snorted quietly. Who did she think was talking? This conversation was mainly for Gohan's benefit. The only ones other than the kid that would even notice his absence were Dende and Mr. Popo. He was confident in Dende's ability to manage the Earth on his own at this point. Should anything come up, King Kai would be at the ready to help.

"Yeah Mom, it's me, are you doing okay? And Goten?"

"We're okay. How are you? Do you and Piccolo have enough clean underwear? When are you boys coming home?" She fired her questions off rapidly.

"Um…" Gohan trailed off, his mind momentarily blank as Piccolo fought to keep impassive. Never before had the Namekian warrior been asked such a question. Deeming the last question the safest, Gohan continued. "We'll be back as soon as the Dragonballs recharge. Elder, do you know when that will be?" He turned to the Namek in question.

"Well, our new home has a longer year than the original Namek. We have about seven of your Earth months to go."

"What?" Chi-Chi shouted. Goten looked at his mother in apprehension. Whenever she used that tone of voice the frying pan always appeared out of nowhere. Running over to hide behind Tien, he kept watch for the evil pan.

"Hey, that's not too bad Mom, we'll be home in time for our birthdays."

"That's not acceptable! You need to come home now. Bulma! Go start working on a ship to bring my baby home!"

Bulma blanched at the manic look on Chi-Chi's face. Personally, she thought this would be a good experience for both Gohan and Piccolo. Gohan, at least in her opinion, felt too responsible for his family. He needed to have a life of his own and since he had little choice at the moment, now was a good time to start. In addition, Piccolo did not spend a lot of time around the Namekian people before. This was the perfect opportunity for him to learn about his heritage.

"Oh, Chi-Chi, I am so sorry! Vegeta's broken the GR so many times that I am all out of material." Bulma lied smoothly. "It will take me a few months to manufacture the alloys. Then, New Namek is so far away, it would take at least two months to travel there, four months round trip. The Dragonballs are our best and fastest way to get them home."

Chi-Chi let out a high-pitched scream of anger. Rounding on the Saiyan Prince, she pulled her frying pan out. Vegeta glared at his mate as he dove off the Lookout and away from the Harpy.

'_Wow, go Bulma!'_ Gohan was amazed that she had sacrificed Vegeta like that. Piccolo nodded slightly in agreement. Even he wasn't that evil.

"Hey Bulma?" Gohan called out over his mother's shouting. She was trying, without much success, to convince Vegeta to come and face her.

"What kiddo?"

"I need you to look in my desk at home. There are a couple notebooks with plans for a few more inventions I think you might be interested in. Just do me a favor, take about a third of anything I earn while I am gone and put it away for me. Make sure Mom gets the rest of it okay?"

"Oooh, more toys huh?" Bulma rubbed her hands together. His kit had become one of the most popular products CC had available; she welcomed anything else he had cooked up.

"Does that mean you aren't coming home soon Big Brother?" Goten chirped, still hiding from the frying pan.

"Sorry squirt, we won't be back until about May. Are you being good and having fun?"

"Uh-huh! I've been really good for Mommy. And guess what? Tien and Chiaotzu put up a house in our back yard. They are there all the time! Tien is even training me for Mr. Satan's special tournament!" Goten babbled happily.

Gohan went from relief and gratitude to irritation in a heartbeat. When he had asked Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu to watch over his family, he had not expected any of them to relocate. But, that meant he didn't have to worry about their safety at all in the coming months. He could actually relax and enjoy himself. However, a tournament in the Buffoon's honor was preposterous. "Thank you Tien and you too Chiaotzu. Hey Goten, I bet you'll do really well after training with those two. When is the tournament?"

"You're welcome. Chiaotzu and I really don't mind staying out there. Besides, your mom is a much better cook than we are." Tien answered with a wry grin as his floating companion smiled in agreement. "The tournament is being held on May 26th. Hopefully you two will be back in time to compete."

"We should be home by then Tien." Gohan felt a pang as the full implications of the date set in. His gaze hardened as he continued, "The tournament will mark the seventh anniversary of Dad's death. Maybe its time we all put the Buffoon in his place." Hercule gulped in fear at those words. "If you all agree, I'd like to see everyone there, in the same style of clothing you wore to the Cell Games. Think of it as a tribute to Dad. Then we fight our way, Dad's way, and show Satan a few light tricks." Piccolo looked at Gohan and sent him his approval. They had both had enough; it was time to stand up and restore ki control's proper place in the martial arts world.

Goten looked around in confusion and pointed at Hercule. "But-" Trunks ran to his friend and clapped a hand over his mouth. Shaking his head vigorously, he managed to convince Goten to keep quiet.

"What was that Goten?" Gohan asked.

"Umm…" Goten looked at Trunks desperately.

"He uh, just, uh, wanted to tell you what Tien taught him!" Trunks piped up quickly.

"Oh, yeah, he showed me something really neat. Watch this, Solar Flare!" Goten put his hands to face and demonstrated the blinding attack. "Did you see it?"

Back on Namek, Gohan slapped a hand to his face. His little brother was definitely their father's son. Meanwhile the rest of the Z-gang was busy berating Goten.

"Goten you baka! Whatcha do that for?" Trunks yelled, rubbing his eyes.

"You're just jealous because you can't do it!" Goten yelled, upset that everyone was mad at him.

"I can too!" Before anyone could stop him, Trunks shouted, "Solar Flare!"

At this point, Piccolo stood in disbelief as the Nameks present tried to make sense of the argument being broadcasted to them. _'Are you sure you are related to them kid?'_

'_So they tell me.'_ Gohan shook his head as they listened to shouting and carrying on as Tien grabbed the Demon Duo and escorted them home.

"Well, I hate to break this up, but, you're tying up the line." King Kai interjected.

"Oh, bye everyone, we'll see you in a few months!" Gohan called out, as the connection was broken.

xxxxxx

Hercule turned shakily to face the others present. "He doesn't know. I-I thought…you were supposed to… We already made the announcement!" He stuttered and wailed.

"Don't worry about it too much Hercule." Krillin told him, a sadistic grin on his face.

"Don't worry! He's going to kill me!"

"No, he won't kill you. Remember, no killing in a tournament. He'll just take off a limb or two." Yamcha said, clapping the trembling man on the shoulder.

xxxxxx

Waving a farewell to the villagers, Gohan and Piccolo took to the air. Piccolo allowed a ghost of a smile to cross his face. Seven months of peace and quiet on a planet where people understood the term go away. Gohan looked over and grinned, mirroring his friend's feelings. As he immersed himself in the sheer freedom of flight, a shiver worked its way up his spine. Looking around, Gohan tried to place what had bothered him. Piccolo shrugged, he had felt it too, but there was nothing there. Dismissing the feeling for the moment, they returned to their mountain home.

xxxxxxx

"Master, they will be out of communication with their companions for the next seven Earth months." The man bowed low to the ground as he presented his report.

"Interesting, that means no one will miss them for quite some time. Keep watch for now, it is almost time."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer-I own nothing

Chapter 2

As Piccolo floated above the soft blue grass, he basked in the invigorating sensation of Gohan waking up. It had surprised him how drained he felt whenever his friend slept. More than once, he had had to sleep rather than meditate at night to cope with it. Enjoying the flood of energy, he waited silently for Gohan to join him.

Gohan dove into the cool green water in search of his breakfast. New Namek had very few land-based animals. Fortunately, the ocean teemed with life. Catching the fin of a large eel, he jetted towards the surface. After his meal, he rose up to meet Piccolo for their morning meditation.

'_No sign of It yet this morning?'_ Gohan asked as he curled into the familiar midair pose, facing his Namekian counterpart. He felt rather than heard Piccolo's growl of annoyance.

In the past couple of weeks, whatever or whoever It was, had been watching them. The discontenting sensation they had experienced, after checking in with those they had left behind, had just been the first time. At least half a dozen times, their unwanted visitor had spied on them. Unfortunately, all of their efforts to find It had failed. There was no ki signature, no physical body to look upon. Only the feeling of someone breathing down their necks, judging their activities, and based on the sense of irritation being broadcasted, finding them to be lacking somehow.

'_Come on kid, you've been staying to your base form lately; it's about time you got a real workout in.'_ Piccolo stretched out and cocked a brow ridge. His demand to spar rather than meditate was clear.

Gohan grinned, knowing that that was about as close as Piccolo could get to admitting he was tense and needed something to get his mind of It. Lowering himself to the ground, the half-breed began sliding through an intense kata. He had learned long ago that it was a good idea to be as loose and limber as possible whenever Piccolo was in this kind of mood. Tossing off his training weights, Piccolo joined him in the exercise. Every motion down to the last breath was a perfect mirror image of the other.

Completing the final movement, Gohan lowered into an offensive stance. _'Are you ready?'_

Narrowing his eyes, Piccolo bared his fangs in challenge. His heart sped as the anticipation for a long, hard fight filled him. He had been delighted to realize that Gohan could ignore the demands of his Saiyan stomach if a spar was intense enough. If he had anything to say about it, they wouldn't stop until after sundown.

Gohan groaned inwardly. _'Seriously, you plan on starving me today?' _At his friend's answering smirk, he scowled. He might be the stronger of the two, but Piccolo was the more cunning. Flinging a ki sphere around them, he charged.

xxxxxx

Cargo cheerfully strode through the village. He planned to visit Piccolo and Gohan today. After Goku had come and taken Dende to Earth, he had missed his brother desperately. Looking forward to hearing stories and catching up on Dende's new life, he stretched out his senses.

The teen frowned as he searched for the ki signatures of his old friends. He had struggled with ki control back on Earth when the Z-Warriors had tried to teach him. Cargo blushed as he realized he was unable to locate them. Turning around, he sought out the Elder's help.

Moori chuckled inwardly at the embarrassed youth before him. Perhaps this would encourage him to practice his skills. Sending his own senses outward, Moori searched for the missing warriors. Blushing faintly himself, as he too was unable to locate them. "Cargo, I don't believe you will be visiting today."

"Why not sir, can't you find them?"

"No, I cannot. Gohan warned me about this before he and Piccolo left the village. I do not know all of the details, but apparently, they are able to somehow block their energy from others." Seeing the confused look on Cargo's face, he continued. "That means if those two wish to be left alone, we will not be able to find them."

"Can I try again tomorrow Elder?" Cargo looked up hopefully before sagging as Moori shook his head.

"You will respect their wishes by leaving them be child. I am sure they will visit sometime, you can wait until then." Patting Cargo on the head, he gave him a little push toward his friends. Moori dismissed the elusive Earthlings from his mind as he returned his attention to his responsibilities.

xxxxxx

Gohan raised his arms to block just as Piccolo unleashed a vicious Demon Wave. Piccolo's attacks had been hard and heavy from the first moment. Gohan grimaced as blisters bubbled along his skin.

'_Is that the best you have today kid?'_ Piccolo snarled in challenge, his fangs gleaming in the unnatural light of their auras.

'_Fine, you want to ride this train, we'll ride. Just be prepared to pay your ticket!'_ Gohan sent back. Screaming he let his power take him, intending to jump directly to the second level. He caught a flash of surprise from Piccolo that was quickly overtaken by a dark excitement. Before Gohan could question the sensations, his counterpart cleared his mind and charged.

Had anyone been present to view their activities, they would have been hard-pressed to call the battle taking place a friendly spar. Both attacked the other fiercely, each intent on gaining the upper hand. Piccolo charged attack after attack. His relentless assault pushed Gohan farther back each time.

Gohan knocked a Special Beam Canon back at his sensei. He had been avoiding using blasts, instead relying on speed and strength. His own Saiyan battle lust combined with Piccolo's made him reluctant to overwhelm his opponent, ending his fun.

As shadows began to creep through the valley, the two warriors fell to the ground, panting in exhaustion. Their once pristine gis were a fond memory. The flesh exposed by the tattered remnants of cloth was burned, bleeding, and bruised.

Laying on his back, Gohan looked lazily at the emerging stars. As one winked out of view, Piccolo's satisfaction filled him.

'_What made you do it?' _Piccolo asked. At Gohan's confusion he continued._ 'Transformation, what made you decide to use it instead of your Super Saiyan form?'_

Gohan sat up as quickly as his injured body would allow. What did he mean instead? He had powered into his Ascended form for the spar. Hadn't he?

Piccolo cocked a brow ridge at his friend's swirling thoughts. Forming a mental image, he showed his younger companion exactly what he meant. In that moment when Gohan had powered up, he had not undergone the standard transformation. His hair had lost its color, morphing into mane of pure white. His onyx eyes had paled, leaving them an almost colorless blue. While yes, his power level had been on par with his Ascended form, his physical state had not been.

Truthfully, Piccolo had been thrilled at Gohan's choice. He had demanded a hard spar and the kid delivered. He had assumed that that was all there was to it.

'_I didn't mean to do that Piccolo.'_ Gohan's eyes were wide with alarm. When you have the ability to take out a solar system without undue effort, absolute control is essential.

'_Go to the first level kid.'_ Piccolo demanded, standing to face him.

Gohan nodded as he rose to feet. Very deliberately, he raised his power. Sliding up to that familiar level, he let it take him. The concern in Piccolo's eyes did nothing to reassure him. Reaching up, Gohan took a hold of a lock of hair and held it in front of his face; white. Letting go, he watched as it darkened to coal once more.

'_That's disconcerting,'_ Gohan mused.

'_Let's get cleaned up, you need to eat, and then…'_ Piccolo allowed the thought to trail off. They could work together to trace the pathways of the kid's energy, but as to whether or not there was anything to be done about remained to be seen.

Nodding, Gohan dropped the ki sphere surrounding them. Enjoying the refreshing breeze now playing across his abused skin, he walked with Piccolo to the water. After taking care of their physical needs, the two settled into their respective meditative poses.

'_You know what? I miss having a fire.'_

Piccolo chuckled at Gohan's wistful thought. The Namekian people had a special relationship with their planet. As on the original planet, they raised trees, attempting to cover their planet in lush vegetation. Out of respect for them, Gohan and Piccolo had not gathered any wood. Instead, they relied on their ki for light, warmth, and for Gohan to cook with.

As the stars danced overhead, Piccolo and Gohan focused inward. Traveling along the pathways of Gohan's ki, they came to rest at the massive well of power at his center. Since the battle with Mavoy, it seemed to have deepened, reaching new depths of raw energy.

'_This seems different,'_ Gohan noted. When he had searched his own power out before, there had always been a sharp outline, delineating the different levels he had achieved. Now it was one endless pool.

Piccolo grunted low in agreement. _'It's a different color as well.'_ Always before, Gohan's energy had been a deep golden color. Now it shimmered in a violet so pale, it was practically white. _'Vegeta never mentioned anything like this did he?'_

Piccolo and Gohan searched through his memories, nothing. Everything they knew about the Super Saiyan forms came purely from the legends and their own experience. Gohan growled irritably. They did not know much about the Saiyan people, often to their detriment.

'_Shake it off kid. Tomorrow we'll run through this new form and test its limits.'_

Clearing their minds, the two friends floated in soft night. Enjoying the other's presence and gaining peace from their meditation.

xxxxxxxxx

After leaving his master for the evening, the servant transported close to his charges once more. He noted with disgust that they were again just hanging in the air. He had concluded that that was all those two ever did.

He looked around the pristine valley. In his experience, true warriors did not leave the landscape this clean. When real training was involved, it left scars upon the ground. Added to that, they seemed to lack the basic instincts of a warrior. He had been watching them now for a couple weeks. Not once had they overtly reacted to his proximity. Huffing irritably, he settled in to observe them once more.

xxxxxxxxx

'_It is back,'_ Piccolo growled deeply within his chest.

'_I've had enough, how about you?'_ Feeling Piccolo's affirmative, Gohan quickly gathered his ki. Weaving it swiftly into a net, he flung it in all directions. For the first time, he was rewarded. _'There!'_

The two phased in at the point of impact and knocked the intruder out of his hidden state. They had only the time to note the ruddy skin of the man before the world blurred out of existence.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- I own nothing

Chapter 3

Gohan felt incredibly light and warm. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see that he was not where he expected to be. In place of the cool valley was a vast white space, much like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Standing slowly, he reached out, _'Piccolo?'_

'_Behind you kid.' _

Turning swiftly, Gohan reached down and pulled his Namekian counterpart to his feet. Keeping his back to his sensei, Gohan extended his senses out into the endless expanse. There was nothing, no ki, no life, anywhere within this void.

'_I don't like this. There is something unnatural about this space.'_ Piccolo's thought was as tense as his body. On guard, they waited for their captor to return.

xxxxxxxxx

"Sir," Kibito bowed low before the Supreme Kai. "I encountered difficulties during my observation."

"What kind of difficulties?" Shin asked slowly looking the prostrate man over. His normally unflappable servant was disheveled and upset.

"I was discovered sir. The Earth warriors attacked me. When I transported away, they were unfortunately pulled with me." Kibito stared at the ground in shame.

"Well, the timing is inconvenient, but it could have been worse. Bring them in." Shin ordered, looking at Kibito expectantly.

"They aren't here sir. This is holy ground; I would never soil it with unworthy mortals."

Shin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Your distaste for mortals does not suit you my friend. It is our privilege to watch over them, not our right to condemn them. Where are they?"

"'I left them in the Fold, unconscious."

"Go get them, now, and bring them to me. I believe they are worthy of being in this place." After Kibito left, Shin rubbed his face wearily. The Fold is the space between realities. He fervently hoped that the Earth warriors slept through the experience. It would take a strong mind to handle the sheer nothingness of it and remain sane.

xxxxxxxxx

'_Head's up,'_ Gohan alerted as a tall man phased into being in front of him. Piccolo shifted, standing beside his friend, they faced their stalker.

"I am Kibito, assistant to the Supreme Kai. You will come with me now." Kibito held his hand out and waited.

'_Do we trust him?'_ Gohan asked, still tense and on guard.

'_No choice,'_ Piccolo's resigned reluctance evident in his mental tone.

As one, Gohan and Piccolo stepped forward and grasped the offered hand. Once again, the world blurred. As their sight returned the two found themselves in a lush field. Thick green grass and colorful flowers abounded across the rolling landscape. In the purple sky above them, multiple moons of various sizes littered the view.

"This is the Sacred World of the Kais," Kibito intoned. His disapproval was evident in his rigid stance. "The Supreme Kai is waiting. Follow me."

'_Supreme Kai? I thought it stopped at the Grand Kai.'_ Gohan sent as they followed the sour assistant.

'_I can recall rumors from Kami's memory about such a being, but he never knew for certain.'_

Cresting a hill, a large palace came into view. The marble and granite façade sparkled in the light, creating a shimmering mirage. Standing in front of the steps was a small man with lavender skin and a white Mohawk.

"Welcome Piccolo, Gohan," Shin greeted them, nodding to each in turn. "I am the Supreme Kai Shin. You may call me Shin. Thank you for coming."

Gohan cocked a sardonic brow. _'We really didn't have much of a choice.'_

'_Play nice, if he is who he claims then we need to be respectful.'_ Piccolo shot back. He did not like the feeling he was getting from Shin.

Taking his cue from Piccolo, Gohan bowed his head in greeting. "Thank you for having us, I think." Gohan fought the need to clear his throat. His voice sounded rusty, rough from disuse.

Shin laughed, delighted. "That's as close to back talk as I've had in the last millennia. I do apologize for your brief stay in the Fold." At Gohan's questioning look, he expanded. "The place where you just were, it is called the Fold. It is the space between realities and probably not the most enjoyable place to visit. My servant, Kibito was unsure where to bring you after your unintentional transport."

"Forget it," Gohan dismissed. "It reminded me of a place we've stayed at once before, and for much longer."

Shin tilted his head in confusion. To his knowledge, there was no other place like the Fold. In any other case, he simply would have read the thoughts of the person he was conversing with, clearing up any misunderstanding. With these two, he felt as though he was ramming his mind against a kachin wall. Their mental defenses were impregnable even to him.

"Why are we here?" Piccolo's raspy voice interrupted Shin's mental ramblings.

"I need your help, both of you. Do you know what my purpose is? Why there is a need for a Supreme Kai?" At the negative shake, he continued. "Though you may not be aware of it, but every major choice you make creates a different timeline, a different reality. The number is truly infinite, ever changing and expanding as time goes one. In every universe, the four King Kais watch over their charges. The Grand Kai reigns above the Kings, preventing disorder. I am the authority that resides over it all, seeing to the balance between realities."

Shin waited for a moment, unsure if the mortals would be able to handle it all. At Gohan's go-ahead gesture, he continued.

"The balance between realities is kept in check by maintaining a fairly even distribution of both light and dark energies. Due to their very nature, those that contain dark energy strive to overwhelm the light. If they succeed, and the balance shifts drastically enough, the affected reality warps. Over time, if the imbalance is not corrected, it creates a domino effect. One reality after another warps until the entire Multiverse is destabilized. If the Multiverse was ever allowed to completely destabilize, it would mean an end to everything."

"How do you keep it in check?" Gohan asked.

"I don't, the Guardians do," Shin answered.

"The Guardians?" Piccolo questioned. Half of him had been a Guardian and that had not been in the job description.

Kibito blinked at him, as if appalled that he had to ask. Stepping forward he explained "Not a planet Guardian, but a Guardian of Light. A Guardian of Light is a special kind of warrior. To become one you must have shown great bravery, compassion, honesty, intelligence, strength, power, and have a pure heart through it all. These special warriors are the guardians of positive energy. They protect all the worlds in the Multiverse from those that wish to destroy life and happiness."

'_Why do I have a bad feeling about this conversation?'_ Gohan glanced at Piccolo out of the corner of his eye.

'_You and me both kid.'_

"Okay, where are the Guardians?" Gohan asked Shin.

"There aren't any. They all perished several thousand years ago against the greatest evil the Multiverse had ever seen, Majin Buu. The Guardians managed to seal the creature into the deepest bowels of Hell, but paid the ultimate price in the process. Since their deaths, the realities have been left unchecked and the effect is devastating. If something doesn't change soon, the Multiverse will collapse." Shin explained his tone somber.

"When a planet's Guardian dies, a new one takes his place. So why haven't you replaced these Light Guardians?" Piccolo asked.

"That is Guardian of Light," Kibito corrected, scowling in irritation.

Shin looked sharply at his servant, demanding his silence. Returning his attention to Gohan and Piccolo, he resumed. "In all this time, there has not been a single person qualified for the position. That is, until now." He turned and looked directly into Gohan's eyes. "I've been watching you for a long time Son Gohan, in every reality that you exist in. You are the first in many millennia to possess all of the necessary criteria."

"Why, why me? I know so many good people that would be willing to help. My father gave his life more than once to protect the lives of others, why not him?" Gohan asked; horrified by the direction this was taking. He hated the constant fighting in his life and the death, blood, and screams that went with it. The thunder rumbling in his mind increased in volume as Piccolo sought to keep him calm.

"You, both of you, have been chosen, not Son Goku. The Supreme Kai has been watching your progress ever since you destroyed the Makyo Star. Only an incredibly powerful blast of pure positive energy could have done that. You did that." Kibito said carefully.

"I did in fact consider Son Goku, but found him to be unsuited to the position. Every battle he participated in was prolonged by his need and love of fighting. In one case, his choice to test his limits caused the destruction of an entire planet. Such tendencies in a Guardian would be dangerous to say the least." Shin's eyes never left Gohan's as he offered his explanation.

"What did you mean; you've been watching the kid in every reality? You could have taken him from any other version, why our reality?" Piccolo questioned, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"He is unbalanced in the other realities." Kibito answered.

"I'm going to need a little more than that," Gohan demanded.

Shin sighed; he had been hoping to avoid this. "Follow me." Turning, he led the way into the palace. Twisting through several hallways, he brought them to a large room. It was empty except for a massive crystal ball in the middle of the room. "This is my window into the Multiverse. From here, I can watch the different realities, monitoring the levels of light and dark. From here, I discovered you."

Gohan looked up at the sphere_. 'Baba would love this thing.'_ Piccolo's eye twitched in amusement. He could imagine quite well the reaction of the small witch.

"You two are in perfect balance," Shin said slowly, wanting them to understand. "That kind of balance is rare, very, very rare. Apart, neither one of you is quite complete. You both seem to lack something vital. However, together, you are like the finest sword. The blade perfectly counterbalanced by the hilt. While the blade may be the stronger part of the whole, without the hilt to ground it, even the sharpest blade useless in battle. You are the only versions of yourselves that have managed to achieve such balance."

Shin walked up to luminescent ball, holding his hands up a faint glow surrounded them. From the depths, images slowly formed, solidified, and came to the forefront.

"Everything you see is real. It is not what may be, but what is. This is happening, right now." Shin intoned quietly.

Stepping forward, Gohan and Piccolo took in the view being offered. Gohan cringed as a version of himself pranced about in a ridiculous costume. Declaring himself the Great Saiyaman, he tossed out poses worthy of the Ginyu Force.

'_What in the hell is that all about?'_ Gohan demanded, outraged that he had sunk so low. He let out a disgusted grunt as the gaudy red cape danced in the breeze. He looked down at his wrists, fingering the red bands uncomfortably. A tingle caressed his skin as Piccolo replaced his red wristbands and sash with dark blue ones.

'_Thank you!'_

'_Don't mention it kid, really, ever.'_ Piccolo stated, torn between amusement and disgust. At least he had something to counteract Gohan's knowledge of the Namekian children now, but he had a hard time imagining his friend acting in such a manner.

The image whirled for a moment. As the images came into focus, Piccolo could be seen meditating in the courtyard at the Lookout. Before him, Dende and Mr. Popo were noting that he had been in that state for thirty-nine hours, a new record and how pleased they were that he had cut down the mosquito population on the Lookout.

'_Why on Earth am I meditating for thirty-nine hours? Why aren't I training or doing something other than reducing the surplus bug population?'_ Piccolo all but spat in his vexation.

Over and over, the picture presented to them blurred, only to be replaced by an equally confusing image.

"I think we've seen enough." Piccolo growled, thoroughly put out by the overall picture.

Shin nodded and the ball went dark. "Do you understand now? The choices you two have made in every reality but your own left you in a state of imbalance. Weaker and less stable because you are separate. This is the only reality in which you managed to fuse."

Gohan rubbed his forehead, trying to ward off the headache brewing. "What exactly do you want from us? You are dancing around the meat of the subject Shin. Get to it."

"Very well, I wish for you both to take the position of Guardian on." Shin sighed, his eyes dimming for a moment. "The Guardians have been sorely missed. They were the ones that fought against ones such as the Ice Demons."

"Wait," Gohan exclaimed. "The Ice Demons, you mean Frieza's family?"

"Yes. The Guardians were not responsible for every villain, only those whose power far outranked the champions naturally available within a reality, the ones that would cause a distortion. Without the Guardians, the Ice Demons were able to thrive. The balance was severely affected by the tyrants. One reality was brought to complete collapse."

Gohan's mind reeled at the implications. Vegeta had spent his entire life before coming to Earth under that lizard's heel. Gohan knew he had faced brutal torture of both body and mind.

'_It all could have been prevented Piccolo,'_ he thought. If they accepted and became these Guardians, then maybe no one else would have to go through what Vegeta had. Thinking over his own childhood, he realized that he could also prevent another child, Goten, from being forced into battle. _'What do you think Piccolo? This isn't just me, it's us.'_

Images of the death and destruction he had dealt in his original form passed through Piccolo's mind. He had been part of the problem then and at times, he wondered if he could ever atone for it all. Then he remembered what it was like to watch Gohan breakdown as Goku transported Cell away and that dark time that followed. His own death at Nappa's hands flashed before his mind's eye. He had been unable to handle the kid's death; too young to be on the battlefield, always too young. Gohan flinched as Piccolo recalled his death.

"What happens if we say yes? There has to be a catch. What about those on Earth?" Piccolo asked, knowing Gohan needed to watch over his family, just as he needed to watch over Dende.

"If you take this responsibility you may never see them again during their mortal lives. Being called forth into a battle that involves them would be the only way." Kibito said with a horrible sense of finality.

"Why?" Gohan's voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

"If a Guardian were to remain within the mortal realm, the concentration of light energy would cause an equal amount of dark to rise. The Multiverse naturally strives for balance. It would create a never ending cycle."

Gohan lowered his head for a moment at Shin's words. It made sense in a way. The Z-Warriors were constantly coming against more and more powerful foes. Could it be that it wasn't necessarily his father that they had been after? Instead, had it merely been a balancing of his incredible energy? But could he leave, could they both leave, the way his father had?

'_No, we can't. Neither one of us is built that way.'_ Piccolo interjected into Gohan's musing.

"No. If we do this, you play by our rules; we find a compromise. I am not leaving my family to protect everyone else. That does more harm than good." Gohan stated firmly. Piccolo nodded in complete agreement, crossing his arms over his chest, he stared down at the Kai.

"Why you insolent mortal; you do not make demands of the Supreme Kai!" Kibito shouted, his dark pink face flushing red.

"Kibito! That is enough. We need them, especially with what happened." Shin admonished.

"What happened?" Piccolo asked.

"As the realities warp more and more, the borders between weaken. Two miscreants have somehow managed to take advantage of the weak spots. They have started crossing from one to another, speeding up the destabilization process. I had hoped to wait just a little while longer. Piccolo is a full adult, while you Gohan, are not. I wanted to observe you for a time, see if you were truly ready. Since you are here now…I accept your condition. If you two agree to come whenever you are called, I will find a way for you to see the ones you love."

'_Piccolo?'_

'_I'm in, you?'_

'_Hmm, refuse and let the universe and all reality collapse or accept and fight to keep it all together? No contest.'_

"Very well, we accept the position." Piccolo's deep voice echoed in the massive room.

'_Man, Mom's going to kill me when she finds out!'_

Piccolo could do nothing but agree.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer-I own nothing

Chapter 4

Shin seemed to sag in relief at their acceptance of the post. In his time, he had seen the Multiverse go from perfect symmetry to a ghastly-disfigured shadow of what could have been. Gohan and Piccolo were his last hope, everyone's last hope.

"Thank you, you have no idea how grateful I am to you both." To Kibito's absolute shock, Shin bowed to the mortals in his gratitude. "Kibito, your assistance please." Walking up to the Earth raised warriors, Shin explained. "You must take the mark of the Guardian. It will grant you safe passage through the Fold and into the different realities. It needs to be placed over your heart on the skin, your bare skin."

Gohan and Piccolo both removed their gi tops. '_Geesh,'_ Gohan joked, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, _'he didn't even buy us dinner before demanding to see some skin.'_

Piccolo inwardly chuckled, _'You Saiyans and your stomachs.'_

Shin placed his hand over Gohan's heart, touching his bare skin. Kibito mirrored the action with Piccolo. "There is no going back after this. Do you understand?" He waited until both had nodded. "Now, I am going to mark you as a Guardian of Light. You and I will relive all of the battles and trials you have endured that have made you worthy of the mark, infusing it with power and augmenting your own. Are you ready?"

Gohan nodded nervously, not sure he wanted to relive all of that. Shin pressed his hand firmly into the demi-Saiyan's chest, a bright light seeped from between his fingers. Suddenly Gohan's life flashed through their minds, taking them from his first encounter with Garlic Junior, to Raditz, Frieza, Cell, Mavoy, and every battle in between. All of the mental, physical, and emotional pain Gohan had endured each time accompanied the memories.

Shin groaned, his hand shaking. He had never imagined that anyone could have gone through this much! How had the child been able to stand it? How was it he remained so pure and innocent with all he had done, all he had witnessed? The light built into a blinding climax as they reached the completion of Gohan's last battle. With a final concussion of power, the Guardian's mark was burned into Gohan's flesh.

Simultaneously, Kibito worked with Piccolo. His dark pink hand rested upon the Namekian's jade skin, glowing as he began. The violent images of Piccolo's early life slammed through them, bringing Kibito to his knees. They moved through the cleansing of his heart through his sacrifice to Gohan, the transition of protecting instead of destroying, the battle with Frieza, Garlic Junior, Cell, and Mavoy. Next came the centuries of service to the Earth as Kami, including training the few worthy warriors and watching over his charges. As Kami's life ended, Kibito was sent reeling from the force, leaving behind a brand on Piccolo's chest.

'_That was fun,'_ Gohan said sarcastically as he gathered his stray emotions and thoughts, tucking them back where they belonged.

Piccolo grunted quietly in agreement, as he struggled against the onslaught from his early life. Gohan's bright energy suddenly blanketed his mind, a healing balm. Sighing silently in relief, Piccolo let his friend smooth over the raw sensations left behind from the marking.

Shin and Kibito sat on the floor, overwhelmed by what they had witnessed, what they had felt. Trembling in the aftermath, Shin looked up at his new Guardians as they put their tops back on. They stood tall and stoic, even though they had both just relived the most painful and traumatic moments of their lives. Moments that had brought him to his knees.

"How," Shin croaked, his voice breaking, gulping he tried again. "What is it about you two that you can just stand there, that you can handle all of that?"

"Shouldn't you be happy about that? You almost sound disappointed." Gohan cocked a brow at the fallen Kai. He was not quite stable yet and going over it was not an option.

Shin looked like a grounded fish for a moment. That was true; their ability to handle the dregs of the universe and come through it whole was what he needed. But that kind of pain had to come at a price.

"What now?" Piccolo asked evenly.

"You mentioned two passing through the boundaries between realities. How do we find them and what do we do with them once we do?" Gohan expounded.

"Of course," Shin visibly shook himself as he stood. "Kibito will teach you how to traverse the fold. Your mark allows you to feel the imbalances within the Multiverse. Once you find the largest source, simply focus on it and transport yourselves to it. From there, do what you have to."

Kibito stood and gestured to them, "This way." Leading them back through the maze of corridors, he brought them to a courtyard in the center of the palace. "This place will allow you to grasp the concept of Instantaneous Movement much faster than you would on your own. Let us begin."

Over the next two weeks, Gohan and Piccolo worked on mastering the difficult technique. All the while listening to Kibito's disparaging remarks.

'_You know, I liked him better when he was just It.'_ Gohan sent, exasperated with the Assistant Kai's latest rant.

Piccolo clenched his jaw in irritation, looking blankly ahead. Even when he had been evil, he had not been so arrogant, he was sure of it. _'A simple ki blast would knock him out for the day.' _Piccolo offered, driven past the point of patience.

'_Don't tempt me Piccolo.'_ Gohan groaned. A sudden thought had him smirking.

As it leaked into Piccolo's mind, his eyes lightened. Imperceptibly nodding, he waited for the kid to try it out.

Keeping his energy low, Gohan slowly built a net around Kibito. Anchoring it to both Kibito and the ground, he pulled it tight, cinching the Kai inside the sphere. The constant stream of annoyed energy was cut off instantly. Smiling in relief, Gohan turned to Piccolo. _'Shall we go practice elsewhere?'_ Rising into the air, the companions sought the peace that they had lusted after since being turned over to Kibito.

Kibito stopped mid-rant. The air around him felt strange, thicker than it usually did. Shocked he watched his charges rise silently into the air. He was the assistant to the Supreme Kai! How dare they presume to leave without his permission! Growling irritably, he started after them, only to be knocked back. Raising his hands, he pressed outwards, encountering what felt to be a solid wall. Concentrating, Kibito went to teleport out of his temporary prison, he felt the movement fizzle out. He was trapped.

Sitting down he flushed in embarrassment. He had done nothing but accuse the Earthlings of being unable and unworthy of the honors bestowed upon them. The Supreme Kai had even warned him not to underestimate them. Unwilling to call to his master, Kibito waited for Gohan and Piccolo to return.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Gohan stretched his arms overhead, reveling in how good he felt, as they flew away. Somehow, Kibito had gotten it into his head that if left unattended he and Piccolo would waste away, doing nothing but meditate. While they enjoyed the activity and practiced daily, it was hardly their entire existence. However, attempting to convince that man otherwise had been futile.

In the last two weeks, he had been attempting to teach them discipline. He insisted that they forego their usual schedule and devote their time to more productive endeavors. Learning the Instantaneous Movement technique was essential, but working on it every waking minute was counterproductive. He had left them no time to spar or truly connect, causing a detrimental effect on their overall focus. However, out of respect for his position, they had complied. Today had been the breaking point.

'_Spar first, and then we meditate. Don't let him out until we are done.'_ Piccolo demanded.

'_Agreed.'_ As Piccolo dropped his weights to the ground, Gohan formed a ki sphere around them. It had become second nature to do so during a spar, saving their surroundings from the ravages of their training.

'_We never did get to test the limits and control of that transformation kid.'_

Gohan nodded, grinning ferally and ready to play.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Shin looked up in confusion as the quiet surrounding the palace occurred to him. There were no crashes from teleports gone awry, no murmur of voices, nothing. The silence was deafening. Curious he made his way to the courtyard. Sitting at the far edge was a dejected Kibito.

"Where are Gohan and Piccolo?" Shin asked, approaching the still figure of his friend.

"I do not know sir." Kibito's voice was muffled. "I didn't listen to you, even when you warned me and now I'm stuck."

Shaking his head, Shin stepped forward, only to encounter an invisible wall. Holding his hands out, he pressed against the barrier. It was hot and the air directly beside it was hard to breathe. Focusing his considerable mental abilities, he attempted to lower barrier. It remained regardless of his efforts.

Tired from his exertions, Shin rested his hands on his knees. "Still think they are too weak to be true Guardians?" Shin asked. Kibito's lowered gaze was the only answer he needed. "I'll go find them."

Rising into the air, Shin looked over the massive fields surrounding the palace. After about an hour, he finally stumbled across them. Landing he watched, what he could see, in awe. He could not feel any ki from the Guardians, but the power and force was palpable.

"Gohan! Piccolo!" Shin shouted, walking forward until an invisible barrier once again halted him.

Gohan raised his hands, charging a Masenko. Piccolo had just hammered him with a Hellzone Grenade and he wanted a little payback. Just as he prepared to launch the attack, he felt someone hit the sphere. Groaning in exasperation, he met the eyes of the Supreme Kai.

'_Can't we ignore him, just this once?'_ Gohan asked, practically begging his friend to agree. Piccolo's sharp regret was the only answer he needed. Letting the blast fade away, he dropped the sphere, not bothering to power down into his base form first.

The heat in front of Shin suddenly dissipated, allowing him to continue forward. As he prepared to step rise to meet the two in the air, he was once again knocked back. The power being emitted from the Guardians was tremendous, like nothing he had ever felt. He had accepted that they were strong, but he had not realized the depth of power at their disposal. Swallowing nervously, he flew up to meet them.

"I just spoke with Kibito." Shin raised a thin brow, waiting to see what they would do.

"I imagine you did. You do talk to him daily don't you?" Gohan deadpanned.

"Please let him loose you two. He apologizes for his attitude and promises to show you more respect." Shin vowed on behalf of his servant.

Frowning, Gohan sought out the miniature sphere. Unraveling it, he let the ki fade away, releasing Kibito. "All done, oh, and just so you know, I think we have Instantaneous Movement down Shin. We have not botched a transport in several days." Piccolo gave a slight nod of agreement.

"Excellent. Do you feel prepared to leave in the morning?"

As Piccolo prepared to answer, Kibito came charging to field. Stopping abruptly, he looked the Guardians over, his eyes wide in shock. "I-I thought someone had…I didn't realize…the power…" Kibito stumbled.

Ignoring the man, Piccolo turned to the Supreme Kai. "Yes, we are ready."

The next morning, Gohan and Piccolo prepared to leave. After refusing Kibito's fifth offer to have them wear the traditional Kai uniform, Shin walked in with a small pouch.

"Here, you may need this. These are leaves from the sano plant. I believe you'll find their effect similar to your sensu beans." Holding the bag out to Piccolo, Shin waited until he had tied it to his sash. "I have learned that the two you are after go by the names Papula and Maculo. From what I can ascertain, individually they are a little weaker than Mavoy, but together…" Shin did not continue, he didn't have to. "Finding the boundary jumpers and stopping them is vital to the stability of the Multiverse. If you are seen, use your own discretion. Good luck."

Gohan and Piccolo stepped back. Reaching out a taloned hand, Piccolo rested it on his companion's shoulder. Locking onto the imbalanced energy, they chased it across the void.

xxxxxxxx

A/N—Just in case anyone is curious about the meaning behind the names:

Papula- pimple

Maculo-blemish

Sano-heal


	5. Chapter 5

A/N-Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, alerted, or just enjoyed. Okay, from here on out the boys are off and running. To avoid confusion should they run into their own duplicates in the other realities, I will put C.R.(Current Reality) in front of Gohan and Piccolo's name if they belong to that world. All right, Ready? Off to today's installment.

Disclaimer-I own nothing.

Chapter 5

The two newly appointed Guardians phased into existence in a dense forest. Breathing deeply, Gohan looked around in appreciation.

Piccolo walked over, lightly touching a tree_. 'This is Earth.'_

'_Yeah, it is amazing how the monsters always find their way to our home Piccolo.'_

Piccolo grunted silently in agreement. However, he supposed it was to be expected. The Earth was home to some of the most powerful warriors in the galaxy. If the dark was drawn to light as Shin had said, the Earth would always be a target. It was also logical to assume that such an imbalance in energy would cause the greatest warping of the reality to be centered on the Earth as well. Piccolo extended his senses. He could feel the ki energy of the Z-Warriors and the eerie echo of not only his, but the kid's energy as well.

'_Do you feel that?'_ Piccolo asked, guiding Gohan to the Demon Duo. _'They are so powerful here, at least Super Saiyan level.'_

'_Now that's a scary concept. If these two are like ours,' _he inwardly shuddered_. 'I cannot see them being responsible with so much power available to them.'_

'_I cannot sense the jumpers,' Piccolo growled out._

'_Me neither, but I can feel something in that direction. It isn't ki, just a feeling that something is somehow skewed. Come on; let's go look.' _Rising into the air to begin their hunt, Gohan turned to Piccolo. _'Do we want a ki sphere?'_

Piccolo considered it for a moment before sending his refusal. It increased their chances of this world's Z-Warriors finding them, but maybe Maculo and Papula would come to them.

xxxxxxxxx

C.R. Gohan raced up the stairs of the school leading to the roof. Videl had just been called away by the police. Time for the Great Saiyaman to save the day, he thought. Pushing the button on his watch, he transformed into his alter ego and leapt off the roof.

Videl squatted behind a patrol car with the Police Chief as they watched two strange creatures tear the park apart. "Do we know what they want?" Videl shouted over the latest explosion.

"No," the Chief shouted back. "When we tried to find out, they killed the officers that approached them."

"I'll stop them." Videl rose, preparing to take them down. As daughter of the world savior, she saw it as her duty to protect her city.

The Chief reached out and pulled her back down. "No, you aren't going near them Videl. They aren't…normal."

"What do you mean normal? Do they use those fake tricks, like Cell?" Videl sneered, already disgusted with the thought. Only cowards used fake tricks.

"No, whatever, however they killed those men, it's not a trick. They just disintegrated; I've never seen anything like it. If I had known, I would not have called you here. Satan City can't lose you."

Videl fell silent at the haunted look on the Chief's face. He looked like he had just seen a glimpse of Hell and was not sure he would survive to tell the tale.

"I am the Great Saiyaman, guardian of the people!" C.R. Gohan announced in his falsely deep voice as he landed. He moved through his truly amazing poses, designed to drive fear into the hearts of evil doers.

"Oooh," Videl growled. "Listen Great Soyman no one needs your help. I do not need your help!"

"That's Great Saiyaman Miss Videl," C.R. Gohan pouted. "What do we have here Chief?" As he asked, another explosion rang out, raining debris over their heads.

"That, we have that." Chief pointed at the creatures running amok. "They've already killed two of my men. Do you think you can handle them?"

"Of course, please stay back and let me handle this." C.R. Gohan stepped forward.

xxxxxxxxx

Flying through the skies, the sound of mayhem reached Piccolo's ears. As one, he and Gohan turned for Satan City. As they approached the city center, the sound was evident to Gohan as well. Landing atop a building, they looked down at the park.

Tearing the landscape apart were two of the strangest creatures they had seen to date. Both were small, around three feet tall, stout, with coarse features. Both had dingy orange hair, curling sporadically around their flat faces. One had angry red skin while the other had a sickly pale yellow hue. As they destroyed yet another bench, the sound of laughter reached Gohan and Piccolo. The sound was unnerving, it bespoke of insanity.

Piccolo viewed them with a detached incredulity. These things did not look like the bringers of universal devastation, but then again, they never did.

Gohan snorted, _'Why not. We've had an effeminate lizard, an egotistical grasshopper, a maniacal imp, and a banal dinosaur. Why not add in a couple of mentally deranged gnomes?'_

Piccolo's lips twitched as he fought his amusement._ 'There is something blocking their ki.'_

Gohan concentrated on the two. It was as though the energy around them was bent, distorting it and preventing a true scan. _'It must be from passing through the boundaries, it doesn't feel like a natural ability.'_

The more they focused on the jumpers, the more evident the distortion became. Suddenly, their Guardian marks began to pulse and a rush of foreign energy filled them. It was as though someone had flipped a switch. The distortion cleared and Gohan and Piccolo were able to feel the ki of the jumpers.

'_Would that be the augmentation?'_ Gohan asked.

Piccolo sent him distracted noncommittal noise. A familiar figure had just joined the humans below. The Gohan of this world was approaching Maculo and Papula in all of his Saiyaman glory. Phasing in behind them, he attempted to knock them unconscious, only to be sent flying.

'_He isn't strong enough to deal with them!'_ Piccolo exclaimed worriedly.

As they watched, the red one prepared to blast the prone Saiyaman, yellow energy flickering wildly around him. Gohan peered around, automatically looking for that Gohan's Piccolo. He could feel the tension in his Piccolo as his natural instinct to save him clawed at him.

'_His guardian demon is late. Go!'_ As the thought formed in Gohan's mind, Piccolo leapt off the roof. Hitting the jumper's blast with one of his own, he stood over the fallen demi-Saiyan.

C.R. Gohan rose shakily. "Thanks Piccolo," he whispered, looking at the familiar white cape of his oldest friend.

"Gohan you need to go, this is not your fight." Piccolo never took his eyes off the jumpers as he ordered the boy behind him to leave.

Videl's eyes widened in shock. The green man had called Saiyaman Gohan! Ha, she knew it!

"But, Piccolo, who are they?" C.R. Gohan asked, confused. That blast had been on par with Cell, but he had not been able to sense it until it was too late.

"Look Maculo, we have a new playmate!" The red gnome, Papula jumped excitedly as he pointed to Piccolo.

"Play catch with us!" Macula shouted in glee as he charged a massive glowing blast of red energy.

Piccolo braced himself as the blast neared. It was bigger than he could handle, but if he moved, everyone and everything behind him would be destroyed. Suddenly a glowing figure appeared before him, taking on the blast. Gohan stood, his feet digging trenches into the ground, holding the energy at bay. Racing forward, Piccolo added his energy to the mix. Together, the Guardians sent the blast into the air.

C.R. Gohan stumbled back in shock. There was something horribly wrong going on. Piccolo was not that powerful and the white haired warrior standing with him was terrifying. A quiet swish behind him drew his attention and he met the dark eyes of his Piccolo.

"Gohan, who are those people?" C.R. Piccolo asked, staring fixedly at the four strangers, including one with his own face.

Before C.R. Gohan could answer, the white haired warrior began speaking.

"You don't belong here. Why don't you come with us, we can help you get home." Gohan offered, needing to get the jumpers away from such a populated area.

"Go home?" Papula titled his head to the side.

Maculo frowned, his eyes holding a peculiar gleam. "No, we want to play, this is our special game. Go away."

'_Is it just me, or are they astoundingly childlike?'_ Gohan asked his Namekian counterpart, as he stood braced and ready.

'_Very, they think this is a game. They wanted me to play catch.'_

'_Maybe if we offer to play…'_

'_We might be able to draw them away.'_

"We want to play too." Piccolo informed them, managing to not choke on the words.

"We know a better place, one that's more fun. If you follow us, we'll take you there." Gohan smiled brightly at the gnomes.

"No! You just want to ruin our game!" Maculo shouted, his thick lips forming a disturbing pout. He fired another devastating blast, this time at the group of humans. While he did that, Papula glowed faintly and the space around him wavered like ripples in a still pond. With a hollow pop, both disappeared, leaving only their destruction behind.

With an alarmed cry, Gohan phased in front of the blast. Arriving just a split-second too late, the energy tore at his left side. It seared through the fabric of his gi; tearing his skin. Screaming, he drove his power as high as he could manage with his injury and nullified the attack.

Swearing fluently and impressively in Namekian, Gohan stood unsteadily as blood flowed freely down his side. The thunder boomed through his mind as Piccolo appeared next to him.

'_I never should have taught you that kind of language kid.'_ Piccolo moved to Gohan's right side, supporting him. Lifting into the air, they left the stunned crowd of humans behind.

C.R. Gohan and C.R. Piccolo raced after the two visitors. Above them, the Z-Warriors had converged, feeling the high-energy fight that had taken place. Reaching an open field, Piccolo set Gohan down. Immediately, the Z-Warriors surrounded them. A collective gasp rang out as Gohan lost his transformation and his hair returned to black.

'_Here kid,'_ Piccolo offered him a sano leaf.

Taking it, Gohan slowly munched the stringy vegetation,_ 'Yum, menthol.'_

"Who are you? What the level was that?" Vegeta demanded angrily.

"Isn't obvious?" Krillin asked, shaking lightly. "It's Gohan and Piccolo, they feel a little different, but it is definitely them. Are you from another future? Is there some horrible monster that's going to kill us all, again?"

'_Leave it to Krillin.'_ Gohan thought as he stood, stretching his newly healed arm and side.

Piccolo inwardly smirked as he looked the kid over, checking his status.

'_I'm okay Piccolo.' _

"Since when do I have a tattoo?" C.R. Gohan pointed to the exposed Guardian mark branded into Gohan's skin. "Mom would kill me or worse, pull out the frying pan."

Gohan looked down. What was left of his clothing was less than modest. _'Piccolo?'_ After a moment, a new gi appeared on him. Straightening his sash, he nodded his thanks to his sensei.

"We are not from the future. Your world is as safe as it ever is." Piccolo's deep voice made Krillin jump.

"So why are you here? Yamcha asked warily.

"I'd like an answer to that as well." C.R. Piccolo stated stepping forward.

Piccolo cocked a brow ridge at his twin. "We are chasing down a problem, our problem. They are not your concern as they have left this world. Besides, you have your own problems to handle." He gestured at C.R. Gohan who was still in his Saiyaman disguise. "Fix that." Piccolo demanded.

'_Ready to go kid?'_

'_Yeah, Maculo and Papula have definitely left this reality._' Waving goodbye, Gohan searched out the imbalance caused by the pair. As he locked on, Piccolo grabbed his shoulder and the Guardians faded from sight.

"That was just weird." Yamcha stated; looking at the empty spot they had just vacated.

"What did he mean…fix that?" C.R. Gohan questioned.

C.R. Piccolo turned to face his long time friend, fighting the need to cringe at his attire. "Kid, we need to talk."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer-I own nothing

Chapter 6

After leaving behind a very confused group, Piccolo and Gohan chased the boundary jumpers into a new reality.

'_Uh-oh.'_ Gohan's alarmed thought had Piccolo scanning their surroundings. They had landed in a desert, their desert. That was not the problem. The problem was the shaking figure on a cliff above them. They had landed directly in front of this reality's Piccolo.

'_Wait for him to come to us.'_ Piccolo ordered. Even at this distance, he could see the abnormally gaunt face gracing his twin. Gohan let his understanding rest in his mind, relaxing his stance. The Guardians waited silently for the Namekian to find his composure.

C.R. Piccolo gasped, trying to regain his breath. It was finally happening; his sanity was slipping through his fingers. Not only could he see his own visage, but Gohan was with him, a fully grown Gohan. Even the name brought him a stab of pain. The kid had been gone for six years now. He had never been able to move past the death of his only true friend. As he stared at the vision before him, C.R. Piccolo waited for them to fade away.

Gohan felt a wave of compassion for this Piccolo as they waited. His body language radiated sorrow. '_Piccolo?'_

'_Go ahead.'_ Piccolo could feel Gohan's need to go to the man. The kid never had been able to handle the thought of him being alone and apparently, that extended to any version of him.

Rising slowly, Gohan flew over to C.R. Piccolo, barely disturbing the air around him. "Are you okay Mr. Piccolo?" Gohan fell back on the old honorific, hoping it would help.

"G-Gohan, is…is it really you?" C.R. Piccolo reached out, touching Gohan's arm tentatively, as though he expected to pass through him. As his hand touched solid flesh, he grasped him firmly. "You, you were gone. The dragon wouldn't let you come back. I'm so sorry kid, I didn't protect you. Your mother died and your power…you exploded, I didn't protect you."

Kneeling beside the broken man his sensei had become, Gohan looked into his clouded gaze. "I'm sorry I left you Mr. Piccolo. I really, truly am sorry. You did not do anything wrong. I can't stay here Mr. Piccolo, I have to go."

'_Piccolo, transport to Icarus's old cave, I'll meet you there in a minute.'_ No sooner had Gohan formed the request, than Piccolo disappeared from sight.

"No, you can't leave again." C.R. Piccolo whispered, horrified that he had just gotten his friend back only to lose him once more. To be left alone, isolated, again. Lunging forward, he wrapped his arms around Gohan. Clutching him tightly, he wondered why he had always been so aloof. Always refusing the affection the boy offered to him freely.

"I have to go Mr. Piccolo; I do not belong to this world." Gohan hugged C.R. Piccolo tightly; he could feel the tremors running through his thin body. "Before I go, you have to promise me something." He waited for the man in his arms to nod. "Take care of yourself. Drink your water, train your body and your mind. I need you to live Mr. Piccolo, not just be alive, but live. I need you to be able to tell me about your life when I see you again. Promise me that so I may go in peace." Gohan pulled back, staring into desolate eyes.

C.R. Piccolo nodded, the motion jerky and disjointed. Gohan squeezed him a final time, before moving back. "Don't forget your promise Mr. Piccolo." Holding his gaze, Gohan transported away.

C.R. Piccolo crossed his arms over his chest tightly, holding Gohan's lingering warmth to him. Glancing out across the desert, he noted that the vision of himself had disappeared as well. Maybe it was because that was how he saw himself, at the kid's side. Maybe a piece of him always would be. For the first time in six years, he felt a measure of peace as some of the pain faded away.

xxxxxxxxx

Gohan joined Piccolo in the cool interior of the cave and promptly threw a ki sphere around them. Falling to his knees, he fought against the wrenching pain. He had promised Piccolo as a child that he would never leave him alone. Yet in this reality, it seemed as though he had committed suicide after his mother's death. In this reality, his mother was dead. It was mind-numbing and heartbreaking.

'_There has to be a way to aim when crossing realities. To control the exact place we land at, instead of just the right planet and reality.' _He thought viscously.

Piccolo was suddenly beside him, his hand on his shoulder. Reaching back, Gohan grabbed his hand. It was rare for them to touch like this. Piccolo had never been comfortable with contact in general. Then, after their bond had developed into the deep connection they now shared, Gohan had no longer felt the need for physical contact. He could show his affection for his friend with a thought from anywhere in the world.

Still clinging to Piccolo's hand Gohan asked, _'Did you find them?'_

'_No, I don't think they are here anymore. There are distortions about 100 miles away, but it is almost as though they simply passed through rather than stayed.' _Pulling his hand away, Piccolo shucked off his training weights and sank into the lotus pose, floating off ground. Reaching out, Piccolo turned his younger companion, leaning Gohan's back against his shoulder and arm. The sound of falling water in his mind, that constant noise that was Gohan, began to calm. It slowly eased from the sound of a raging white water river, to that of his waterfall. _'Sleep for a while kid, we'll find them after you've rested.'_

Gohan scooted down, until the back of his head was resting comfortably against Piccolo's shoulder. As he let sleep claim him, he had the random thought that Piccolo still made a comfy pillow.

Shifting slightly, Piccolo braced against the enervating sensation of the kid sleeping. He inwardly chuckled with wry amusement as he heard Gohan's last thought. Looking at his friend, he recalled a time when his reply to such a notion would have been a well-aimed ki blast.

Gohan had altered his very foundations in that first year and he couldn't say he was sorry for it. He could well understand what losing Gohan meant to his doppelganger. It was a blow that would be close to impossible to recover from. Piccolo found himself left with the morbid but grateful thought that when the kid went, he would as well.

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Gohan woke abruptly. Sitting up he tried to place what had disturbed his sleep.

'_Me, you were about to take a trip down memory lane. I stopped you.'_

Gohan scrubbed his face with his hands as he sent Piccolo his thanks. So much for Shin's theory that it all just rolled off him, leaving him untouched.

'_Feh, foolish notion,'_ Piccolo said disdainfully.

'_Well, since I'm up, I think I will go find something to eat. On our world, there is an underground lake deeper in this cave complete with fish. Want to come with?' _In lieu of an answer, Piccolo stood and followed silently.

After they had cleaned up and Gohan had eaten, they once again sought the imbalance they were chasing. There were multiple sources, as though Maculo and Papula had skipped through several realities, but never stopped in one.

'_There,'_ Piccolo latched onto the strongest imbalance they had found this time around.

'_Want to take us this time?'_ Gohan offered, feeling Piccolo's desire to control the transport. He grasped the Namekian's forearm and dropped the ki sphere surrounding them.

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Gohan unconsciously tensed as they reached there destination. The familiar sight of the Lookout met his gaze. He felt Piccolo's silent groan at their location. _'Your aim is as bad as mine Piccolo!'_

Piccolo's eyes blazed as he glared at his friend. _'Let's get out here before it's too late.'_

"Kami, Kami come quick, Piccolo is here!" Mr. Popo shouted, spotting them.

Piccolo froze, even his breath stilled in that moment. Gohan's eyes widened in alarm as a ghost from the past stepped out of the temple.

'_Well this awkward.'_


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer-I own nothing

Chapter 7

Kami quickly headed for the courtyard as Mr. Popo's shout reached him. When had Piccolo escaped? The last he had known, Piccolo was trapped in a rice cooker at the bottom of the sea. The fact that he was here, without Kami being aware of it, was unnerving. Stepping into the light, Kami stared at his counterpart.

Gohan looked from his sensei to Kami. They had never had the best relationship, which overall was to be expected. Kami had separated intentionally from Piccolo. He had cast him out into the world, unworthy of being part of the whole. Apparently, even though Piccolo had fused with their Kami, he was still uncomfortable dealing with another version of him.

'_All yours kid.'_

Stepping forward, Gohan bowed politely. Piccolo's snort of disgust rang through his mind at the action. "It is good to see you again Kami."

"Again… I do not believe we have met." Kami squinted his eyes in puzzlement before turning to Piccolo. "Piccolo, I see you have escaped your confinement and regained your youth. Why are you here?"

Gohan kept his expression neutral as he looked at Kami. If he was surprised at Piccolo's age that could only mean that he was thinking Senior, not Junior. _'Do we tell him? He is the Guardian of Earth.' _

'_More like a meddlesome old fool.' _Piccolo fought the need to snarl at the man. It seemed that Kami would always evoke such feelings in him. _'Feh, go ahead. We don't need him bringing everyone in. It would only make things more difficult.'_

"Sir, my name is Son Gohan. I think you should know my father, Son Goku."

Kami returned his attention to the young man, "Son Goku? No, I do not know…Wait, I remember a boy named Goku climbing Korin's Tower years ago, but he was never sent up." Kami's confusion was becoming more evident by the moment. He had expected Piccolo to react violently, not just stand quietly. "You do not feel evil young Gohan; your heart is not weighed down by hatred. Why are you with Piccolo?"

"That's complicated sir. Could you tell me, have there been any battles on the Earth since the 23rd WMAT?" Gohan asked deliberately. It did not make sense that Kami was here, unfused from Piccolo. That there was no Piccolo Junior was even more disturbing.

"Battles? No, the world has been at peace for many years. Are you okay son?" Kami stepped forward, his hand outstretched in concern.

Piccolo growled in irritation, glancing pointedly at the offending hand. How dare he call Gohan son? It was almost as insulting as when the old man had applied the term to him.

Gohan made a low sound of reassurance and subtly shifted his weight closer to Piccolo. His eyes lost their focus as he considered the ramifications of a peaceful world. Extending his senses, he was hard-pressed to find the Z-Warriors. Their power levels were laughably small compared to what he was used to. Maculo and Papula would defeat them easily as weak as they were.

Kami dropped his hand, stunned by the casual display he had just witnessed. This young man had just easily calmed Piccolo down. Come to that, Piccolo had seemed upset, protective even, when he had reached out to Gohan.

"Kami, I need you to listen to me very carefully. What I am about to tell you will sound insane, but I need you to trust me, please." At Kami's nod, Gohan continued. "I need you to find Piccolo, not this Piccolo, but the one connected to you."

Tentatively, Kami reached along the thin thread forever connecting him to the Demon King. His eyes widened as the thread took him to the depths of the ocean instead of directly across from him.

"I assume you found him," Gohan stated quietly. "This is King Piccolo's son, well his reincarnation, Daimou Piccolo, Jr. We were sent here from a different reality. Don't ask; it would take to long to explain." Gohan held up a hand, forestalling Kami. "Just know that we mean you and the people of the Earth no harm. We are hunting down some mischief-makers. They are hiding on your world. They are incredibly powerful; no one on the planet is strong enough to face them."

Kami frowned severely, "I do not know what it is like where you come from, but I assure you, there are many warriors ready to stand against a challenge."

Piccolo growled menacingly once more. "Show him." It was the first thing he had said aloud since arriving.

"Brace yourself," Gohan warned. Flinging a ki sphere around them, Gohan trapped Kami in with them. Sliding into a stance, Gohan dipped into the well of his power, stopping just before the threshold of his transformation.

Kami stumbled, falling to his backside.

"This is a fraction of the power the ones we seek possess, old man. Do you still wish to send your warriors?" Piccolo stood imperiously over the Earth's Guardian.

Turning his back to man, Piccolo nodded to Gohan; silently telling him to power down. Inwardly chuckling at the dark amusement rolling through Piccolo, Gohan let go of his power. Lowering the sphere he watched Kami gain his feet, albeit shakily.

"What do you need from me?" Kami's tone was considerably less haughty than it had been moments ago.

"Keep everyone out of it. Do not let the champions of this world charge into our fight." Gohan stated. Bowing again, he showed the respect Kami's office was due. "Goodbye Kami, it truly was good to see you again."

Walking to the edge of the Lookout together, Piccolo and Gohan took off, zeroing in on their prey.

Kami stood, frozen in bemusement. That version of his angry counterpart had moved in perfect tandem with that boy. That kind of ease, that physical connection, only comes from a deep and prolonged friendship. Maybe there was hope for his own counterpart. Walking to the edge of the Lookout, Kami kept watch.

xxxxxxxxx

Gohan and Piccolo hovered over the decimated remains of a village. In the center, Papula was clapping excitedly. "Do it again Maculo! Do it again!"

The yellow gnome grinned happily. Waving his arms dramatically, he charged a ki blast. Firing it in an arching sweep, the red energy engulfed the area around them. As the resulting explosion and fire surrounded them, Papula let out a high-pitched giggle.

'_There is something off with these two Piccolo.'_ Gohan eyed them apprehensively. _'Both times we've caught up to them, they've been intent on mindless destruction. What's the point of it?'_

Piccolo wished he had an answer for that. Every single major battle they had been in, their opponent had had a clear goal. Frieza and Mavoy had each desired to rule the universe. Garlic had wanted to reign over the Earth. Even Cell's desire to show and prove his perfection had been clear, if ridiculous. But these two, what were they up to?

'_Trap them quickly,'_ Piccolo demanded. _'We can't let them slip away again.'_

As one, Piccolo and Gohan rocketed towards the ground, powering up as they approached. Gohan burst into his transformation just in front of the jumpers. Taking advantage of their shock, Gohan threw a ki sphere around all four of them.

"No, you aren't any fun. Go away." Papula demanded.

"Why did you do this?" Gohan's voice was whisper soft, masking his rage.

"Did you see me?" Maculo asked. Gohan had an eerie sense of familiarity at not only the question, but also the manner in which it was asked. Goten did the same thing.

"We saw you, but why did you do it?" Piccolo growled out.

"Pretty. We like the pretty colors. See," Maculo pointed to the raging fire surrounding the area. "It's pretty, so much better than the white place."

"Shhh! That place is bad." Papula rounded on his partner, scolding him.

'_White place…they must have been trapped in the Fold at some point.'_ Gohan recalled the discussion he had had with Shin after that first day. Apparently, most mortals exposed to the Fold lost their minds. The endless expanse of nothing, complete and utter nothingness, ate away at the sanity of those trapped within; eventually corrupting the mind to the point of shutdown. _'What do you want to bet that they don't even remember why they crossed the boundaries of reality in the first place?'_

'_If that's the case, there won't be any reasoning with them. We need to take them out before the kill again.'_

"This place is no fun anymore!" Maculo's announcement drew their attention. "Bye-bye!" The two gnomes jumped into the air, preparing to leave. Upon reaching the top of the sphere surrounding them, they fell back to the ground.

"I want you to stay." Gohan stated firmly.

Raising his power level, Gohan slid into an offensive stance. Piccolo mirrored the actions. Together they charged the jumpers. In perfect sync, they fired dual Masenko attacks. Pinning the gnomes in between the blasts, the Guardians sought to wipe them from the face of existence.

Papula screamed, his red skin turning fuchsia in his rage. He began to glow brightly and the space around him rippled violently. Papula reached out and grabbed Maculo before disappearing with an ear-shattering boom.

The concussive force of the exit, compounded by the clashing Masenko blasts, reverberated furiously within the sphere. Gohan and Piccolo were driven into the ground under the onslaught. Desperately, Gohan let the sphere fall away, releasing the pent-up wave.

Spots danced before Gohan's vision as he fought against the encroaching darkness. Crawling over to his fallen companion, he noted the violet blood leaking from Piccolo's ears and nose. With the fire inching closer to them, Gohan grabbed Piccolo. Throwing him over his shoulder, he took to the air slowly. The demi-Saiyan made it just past the borders of the fire before his transformation failed and the darkness enveloped him.

xxxxxxxxx

Goku watched his sons working through their training drills. He had been thrilled when Chi-Chi had actually agreed to let him start training them. She had always refused before, something about it interrupting their studies.

"That's good Gohan! Just extend your leg a little more and you'll have it down." Goku walked over, demonstrating the roundhouse kick.

"Okay, like this?" Gohan moved through the movement once more.

"Better, keep going and—" Goku broke off, his knees trembling as an enormous power overwhelmed his senses.

"What is it Daddy?" Goten ran over, tugging on his father's pant leg.

"Stay here, do not leave. Nimbus!" The fluffy yellow cloud answered its master's call. Goku jumped on his old friend and raced out of sight.

xxxxxxxxx

High above the Earth, Kami watched the failed assault. "Mr. Popo, hurry, come with me!"

xxxxxxxxx

Just moments after the massive power had washed over Goku, it dropped to a barely noticeable throb. Even without the energy to guide his flight, Goku easily found his way due to the rolling black smoke filling the horizon. Jumping off Nimbus, he ran into the inferno, searching for survivors. Everyone was dead.

Goku coughed, trying to clear the smoke from his lungs, as he ran to the outskirts of the destruction. Blinded by watering eyes, he literally tripped over the fallen Guardians.

"G-Gohan?" Reaching out in concern, Goku was stopped by a green hand.

"Mr. Popo, take them back to Lookout." Kami turned to the man before him. "You must be Son Goku." At Goku's nod he continued. "I am Kami, the Guardian of the Earth. I have a task for you."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer-I own nothing

Chapter 8

Kami stood in quiet contemplation. Mr. Popo was across the room, cleaning up their injured guests. The fire had left them covered in greasy soot and grime. Kami shook his head slightly. The force of the explosion that had knocked Gohan and Piccolo out had been like nothing he had ever seen. The two miscreants responsible for it had opened his eyes to what complete destruction truly was. At least Goku was currently searching the Earth for the dragonballs. The victims of the village would be revived soon.

"Kami, do wish for me to give them a sensu bean for their injuries?" Mr. Popo's hollow voice startled Kami out of his thoughts.

"No Mr. Popo, I think it would be best of we let them wake up on their own first." Less chance for something going horribly wrong, he thought privately. He was unsure as to how Piccolo would react upon waking since his last memory would be of the fight. "Go see to your gardens Mr. Popo, I will stay with them."

After the dark genie had left the room, the aged Guardian walked over to Piccolo's bedside. Even in sleep, Piccolo wore a forbidding look. A black mark on his chest drew Kami's attention. The strange symbol was like nothing he had ever seen. Curious he moved to look at the boy.

Scars littered the exposed flesh of Gohan's torso. Kami reached out a hand and traced a particularly viscous one covering his left shoulder. It looked as though the skin had been flayed back. The world these two came from was clearly a violent one if the marks covering the boy were any indication. His eyes were drawn to Gohan's chest and the identical tattoo. Moving his hand down to touch it, Kami pulled his now singed fingers back in alarm.

Gohan floated towards the surface of consciousness. His chest was burning, an uncomfortable sensation that blended with the pain in the rest of his body. His eyes felt so heavy; they did not seem to want to open. Groaning, he struggled to sit up. A warm hand pushed him back down.

"Settle down Gohan, just stay still son." Kami pushed Gohan back into the mattress. He was surprised at how much resistance the boy was able to muster, even when not fully awake.

Gohan frowned, his brows pulling together in confusion. He knew that voice, but it had been so long since he had heard it. Stilling, he tried to piece together the tattered bits of his memory. Slowly, details began to trickle past, gaining in speed and clarity. Memories reasserted themselves, the Supreme Kai, Maculo and Papula, and the ki sphere rebounding the energy on him and Piccolo.

'_Piccolo?'_ Gohan focused on the rumble in his mind as he called out to his counterpart. '_Piccolo, come on talk to me.'_

A low growl seemed to echo in the room. Piccolo latched onto Gohan's voice and the grip on sanity it gave him. His head was pounding viciously and his ears were ringing, muffling the sounds around him.

The extreme physical distress of his sensei spurred Gohan into action. Forcing his eyes to open, he rolled to his side, struggling to gain his feet.

Alarmed, Kami grabbed onto Gohan's shoulders. "Easy there, just lay still. You're safe, you don't have to worry." Physically guiding the boy into a recumbent position, Kami tried to calm him down.

Gohan pushed his hands away irritably. Keeping his eyes locked on the tortured form of his friend, he stumbled across the room. Leaning heavily on the bed, Gohan fumbled for the pouch of leaves at Piccolo's waist. Pulling one out, he forced it into the Namekian's mouth. His Herculean task complete, Gohan collapsed forward.

Energy flooded through Piccolo, driving back the pain and confusion. Instantly realizing Gohan's sorry state, he grabbed him, moving the kid to the side and sitting up in one smooth motion. Pulling another leaf out, he returned the favor.

'_What the hell is wrong with you kid?'_ He demanded angrily as Gohan chewed_. 'You should have taken care of yourself first. Not used up all of your energy on me.'_

Glaring back at the flashing onyx eyes, Gohan scoffed low in his throat. _'No I couldn't and you know that.'_

Kami chuckled quietly as he looked at the two tense figures. Both seemed excessively upset. Even with the silence, he would say that an argument was taking place.

Piccolo glared at the interloper as he stood. A moment later, fresh gis adorned their bodies. Growling deeply, he walked away. Finding his favored meditation spot, he curled into the lotus pose. Piccolo was quite willing to let Gohan deal with the old man.

Gohan shook his head as he gained his feet and bowed politely to the Earth's Guardian. "Thank you for your hospitality and your kindness to us. I apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused you. If it isn't too much trouble, I need a favor from you. Please see to it that the people of that village are wished back."

"Goku is already on the hunt for the dragonballs." Kami reassured him with a smile. He had already decided that he liked this young man. Anyone that could have such a strong effect on Piccolo had to be remarkable. "You are welcome to stay for a meal and get some rest before you continue on your journey. I must confess, I would love to hear your story; especially how you and Piccolo came about."

Gohan struggled with a grin as he felt Piccolo's distaste at the thought staying and conversing with Kami. "Thank you, but we must be on our way."

Kami inclined his head at the decision and followed the demi-Saiyan into the sun. "I wish you both a safe journey."

Gohan took one last look around. There was something so tranquil about this world. Maybe it was the lack of high-level ki, but it felt untainted in a way. "Take care of this world Kami, guard it well."

Kami watched the two leave and sighed quietly. Gohan's eyes had been fathomless for a moment. The eyes of an old man, filled with experience far beyond his years. Kami looked out over the endless horizon. He had never been more thankful for a peaceful Earth than he was at that moment.

xxxxxxxxx

Piccolo growled irritably, the sound echoing within the cave. It had been six weeks since the jumpers had escaped their sphere. Six weeks of constantly chasing those two deranged gnomes across all of reality. Every time he and Gohan got close enough to get a hit in, they slid away. They left nothing behind but a mess for him and the kid to deal with.

'_We'll get them Piccolo.'_ Gohan sat with his dinner, a fish from the lake. Icarus's old cave had been a lifesaver for them. It provided food, water, shelter, and privacy in every reality they visited. Gohan sat back, a pensive look on his face. _'You know, I've noticed that while Maculo definitely hits harder, Papula is the one that always opens the portal.'_

'_Hn, take him out and the other is trapped.'_

'_In theory; the problem is getting close enough.' _Gohan shuddered as he remembered when they had seemingly trapped the two in the sphere. Never again had they tried that.

'_It was a good plan kid. We didn't know until it was too late._'

Gohan nodded as he stood, stretching out his legs. _'Yeah, but that was the closest we've been to date.' _Shaking his head, Gohan pushed away the mood. The frustration of chasing their tails was getting to both of them.

'_Speak for yourself kid. I do not have a tail.'_ Piccolo smirked at the sour look on Gohan's face.

'_And thanks to you, neither do I. All right, I'm ready. Let's try this again.'_

xxxxxxxxxx

The shift from the dim interior of the cave to the brilliant sun of the outdoors momentarily blinded the Guardians. As his vision cleared, Gohan stared at the scene in front of them in exasperation.

'_Oh for the love of all things holy! Again? I swear, Kibito purposely didn't teach us specific aim across the boundaries just to spite us.'_ Gohan ranted to Piccolo who had promptly turned around.

Laying stretched out on a blanket in front of them were this reality's Gohan and Videl. Who, in turn, were staring back at them in shock.

Groaning, Gohan rubbed a hand over his face. "Don't mind us. Just continue with, no never mind, you can wait until we are out of the area." Gohan shook his head. He had never been on a date, yet half of his doppelgangers he had seen had been with a girl in some way shape or form. Rising quickly into the air, Gohan and Piccolo transported away.

"Wait," C.R. Gohan shook himself out his stupor and shot across the field at super speeds. "Where did they go?"

Before C.R. Gohan fathom what had just happened, a shrill call resounded across the field. "Gohan!" Videl yelled. "Who were those people? How did you move like that? That man was green!"

C.R. Gohan rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Um, move like what?"

xxxxxxxxxx

'_Maculo's mine.'_ Gohan's eyes were narrowed as he focused on the yellow powerhouse. Rocketing towards the ground, he caught the gnome around his middle, landing almost a mile away from Piccolo and Papula.

"No, not fair! I want to play!" Maculo stamped his feet in anger. An ominous red aura surrounded him. "You are no fun. I don't like you."

As Maculo threw his temper fit, Gohan powered up. Sliding past the Ascended level's energy, he finished without a moment to spare. Maculo screamed, gathering ki into his hands, he fired.

Cupping his hands at hip level, Gohan charged his father's favorite technique. "Ka…me…ha…me…HA!"

The blasts collided, near white meeting red. The force of the energy battered at the desolate area around them. Chunks of rocks and debris floated into the air as a crater formed and deepened.

Gohan struggled to keep his concentration centered on his opponent. Maculo was definitely the more powerful of the two, but he had no finesse. Point and shoot seemed to be his only thought process. Through their previous encounters, Gohan had learned that it was safer to meet him head on. Unfortunately, Papula seemed to still have a few brain cells left. Piccolo was in trouble.

Piccolo took advantage of Papula's distraction as Gohan carried Maculo away. Fisting both hands together, he concentrated his ki into his hands, fortifying them. With as much force as he could muster, he slammed down onto Papula's head, attempting to crush his skull.

The blow was enough to bury the red gnome several feet into the ground. Before Piccolo could follow up with another hit, and entire section of earth vanished. Papula flashed back into reality just behind Piccolo, knocking him back.

"You're bad, very bad." Papula's body was vibrating in his anger. The air around him rippled dangerously. "You go away now. Bad man will go to the bad place!"

'_Bad place?'_

'_Piccolo move! That's what they called the Fold!' _

Gohan's voice screamed in his mind just as Papula swooped in. Backing off, Piccolo watched queasily as Papula and another section of earth disappeared, right where he had been standing.

xxxxxxxxxx

Vegeta's head shot up. Racing from his GR, he flew into the air, hovering above CC. He could feel Kakabrat and the Namek, but they were overwhelming every other sense. The power was astounding. Scowling, he powered up and disappeared in a flash of gold.

xxxxxxxxxx

All around the world, the Z fighters were nearly brought to their knees at the massive power taking over their senses. One by one, they took to the skies.

xxxxxxxxxx

Gohan watched the dueling ki apprehensively. If he did not overtake Maculo soon, the pent up power could wipe out the planet. Walking forward, he ignored the heat and resistance, intent on ending the standoff.

Piccolo stood braced, waiting for Papula to reappear again. The area around him was littered with holes.

"Namek, what is going on here?" Vegeta demanded, landing in front of him.

"Vegeta, move-" Piccolo's order was cut off as Papula phased in behind Vegeta, taking the Saiyan Prince away.

Gohan was so close to Maculo, just a little farther and he would have him. Digging deeper, Gohan increased the intensity of his blast. Suddenly, Papula was there, right behind the yellow gnome. As the air around them rippled, both exited the reality with a pop. It was too late to stop the energy and there was no way to deflect it.

Gohan closed his eyes in remorse as he built his sphere. He flung it around him less than a split second after the jumpers vanished. He had the energy trapped; the world was safe. He had just killed them both.

'_I'm sorry Piccolo.'_


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer-I own nothing

Chapter 9

The Z-Warriors converged at the epicenter of the power tearing across the Earth. Krillin watched in horror as Vegeta vanished. Even his ki was gone. He turned towards the dueling blasts, a throwback to Cell Games.

"Who's attacking Gohan?" Krillin shouted over the roar.

"That's not me!" The reply drew the attention of the gathered warriors. "There's another me running around and a second Piccolo!"

"That's getting too big!" Yamcha called out in alarm, pointing at the massive sphere of energy before Gohan.

The cacophony on the battlefield lowered abruptly. The contrast was terrifying. A bright bubble suddenly surrounded Gohan and the energy from the clashing blasts.

Piccolo could do nothing but watch as Gohan trapped himself within the sphere. _'Super Saiyan or not, I can and will knock you into the next reality if you don't get out of there kid.'_

'_Working…on…it.' _

The reply was nothing more than a pained gasp running through Piccolo's mind. He followed Gohan's movements as he put everything he could spare into a shield, blocking as much of the damaging effects as possible. Less than a minute passed before Gohan was able to drop the sphere. Nothing was left but a shockwave. Gohan collapsed to the ground as the darkness swallowed him whole.

Piccolo shook as the pain Gohan's body moved through his own. Stumbling forward, he grabbed a sano leaf out of his bag. If he could just get Gohan to rouse enough to eat the restoring leaf, he would be okay. _'Kid, come on, Gohan, wake up.'_

Gohan collapsing startled the Z-Warriors out of their passive position. Racing forward they surrounded the visitors.

Piccolo fought against the agony racing through his mind and body. Gohan was slipping away.

"We need to take him to Dende. I'll grab him…"

Piccolo heard someone speaking but the words slurred into obscurity as his world went blank.

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Gohan heard the violent storm crashing across his awareness. Groaning at the dull ache in his head, he looked around. He was on the Lookout, being supported by his counterpart. Slowly, he straightened. The Z-Warriors, except for Vegeta, were all in attendance. That did not surprise him. What did was seeing Shin and Kibito glaring at him.

'_Piccolo?'_

'_They showed up just after we both blacked out. Apparently Kibito healed you, it just took a moment for you to wake up.'_

'_Ah, we started to separate again huh?' _Gohan could clearly remember the sensation from Namek. At least this time they were not out for days. Raising a brow in question, he looked at the visiting Kais.

"Nice of you to join us," Shin frowned, clearly upset with the Guardians. "Of all of the irresponsible behavior ever displayed by a Guardian. Do you think this is a game? That you can just recklessly sacrifice yourselves? We cannot replace you! Have you forgotten your mission? You aren't just trying to save a world. What is the use of saving a single planet if it brings about the end of everything?" Shin panted in anger as he berated Gohan.

'_Piccolo, you remember the whole play nice thing?'_

Grunting softly, Piccolo let his acceptance and support flow through to Gohan, understanding what his friend needed. They had more to worry about right now. Maculo and Papula were still at large and Vegeta was trapped in the Fold.

Gohan strode to Shin, standing tall and firm. Righteous anger flowed through his body causing his eyes to flash dangerously. His voice though, was low and deathly calm. "No Shin, I haven't forgotten. But I think you have. What is the use of saving one world? Everything. Are you so far removed from the mortal realm you watch over that you no longer realize that? And no, I don't think this is a game. Games are fun, pleasant things. You sent us out here as your personal assassins. I do not see that as fun."

Shin flinched in surprise, opening his mouth to speak.

Gohan cut him off. "There may be a difference between what you wish from us and murder. However, leaving everyone on this planet to die would have been murder. I have enough innocent blood on my hands already Shin; I refuse to add anymore. No one dies by my inaction." Gohan shook his head, "We do not have time for this. Kibito, Papula grabbed Vegeta and took him to the Fold. Can you retrieve him, like you did us?"

Kibito stood gaping for a moment; no one ever spoke to the Supreme Kai in such a manner.

"Kibito! That man is trapped within the Fold; the same place that drove the jumpers insane. Can you retrieve him?" Piccolo snapped when the Assistant Kai did not immediately answer.

"No… I was able to retrieve you because I knew where you were. It is an infinite place; there will be no retrieving him." True regret flashed in Kibito's eyes as he spoke.

"Wait, what exactly is going on? Who are you people? What is going to happen to Vegeta?" Tien stepped forward, asking the questions on everyone's minds.

"We are from a different reality, long story." Gohan answered vaguely. "My name is Gohan, that's Piccolo, the short one is Shin, the Supreme Kai, and the tall one is Kibito, his assistant. We have been chasing a couple of gnomes all over creation and back again. One of them took Vegeta to the space between realities. He is stuck and we need to get him out of there before it is too late."

Kibito scowled at Gohan in disapproval for both the introduction and the implied offer. "It cannot be done. The mortal is lost to us."

A soft gasp drew everyone's attention. Standing on the edge of the Lookout was the Demon Duo. Trunks looked at the group in horror. "You can't… that's my Dad!"

Goten grabbed his friend as he looked on in confusion.

"That boy is not going to grow up without a father Kibito. Nor will we allow Vegeta to slowly starve to death. That is if his mind doesn't shut down first." Gohan tugged his hands through his hair in agitation. "Can we find him? Piccolo and I can feel the imbalances present within the Multiverse. So shouldn't we be able to scan the Fold?" Gohan asked urgently.

"That has never been done before Gohan." Shin said softly, his eyes brimming with pity. "No one has the energy required to search the Fold. Not even you two."

'_Obviously he does not know us as well as he thinks.' _

Gohan could feel the determination in Piccolo's mental tone. _'There is nothing to be lost trying.'_

In a flash, Piccolo and Gohan distanced themselves from the main group. Curling into their floating lotus poses, both slid into deep meditation with the ease of long practice. When searching for Maculo and Papula, they had to skim across the Fold, never reaching into it. As they immersed themselves in the Fold, it felt as though their energy was being slowly drained away.

Subconsciously, both Gohan and Piccolo reached further into themselves. Drawing from the massive well of power available to them, they allowed it to merge and sweep the void. A burning sensation gripped the Guardian's chests as they poured more energy into their search.

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A fierce wind swept over the group as the Guardians conducted their search. A maelstrom of light swirled above Gohan and Piccolo, growing in strength and intensity. A bright glow surrounded both Guardians as their power rose higher. As Gohan slid into his transformed state, the Z-Warriors present looked at each other in disbelief.

Shin struggled to retain his composure. He had not intended for them to attempt this, to pour everything into a doomed endeavor.

"How are they doing that?" Kibito murmured. "Their marks are reacting…Nothing in the ancient texts speak of such a thing." He could see the brands emitting a white energy. Piccolo's top seemed to glow from within while Gohan's tattered gi displayed his for all to see.

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'_Come on, where is he?'_ The words ran in a loop through Gohan's mind. If this Vegeta was anything like theirs, he would be powered up to his maximum in an effort to escape. They should be able to feel him. In an ever-widening spiral, they combed the endless expanse.

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Trunks stared at the visitors in awe. They had been at the center of the storm for what felt like forever in his mind. He looked from the Gohan he knew to this new Gohan. They were so different. "Hey Gohan, I didn't know you could do that."

C.R. Gohan laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I can't Trunks."

"Why did his hair go all white? I thought Super Saiyans had yellow hair?" Goten's face was scrunched in puzzlement.

"Maybe he isn't a Super Saiyan," Trunks's eyes went bright with excitement. "He must be like that video game Mom got me, remember, _Mystic Warriors_. The characters go white and glow. So he's Mystic Gohan!"

"Oh!" The sound was drawn out as Goten processed the information.

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The Guardians could feel a spark of something on the farthest edges of their combined senses. Instantly Gohan reached deeper. Pouring more power into combined effort and fortifying their ability, granting them a longer reach.

'_There, but he's moving.'_ Piccolo tried to latch onto the Saiyan Prince, but he was moving too fast. He kept just in their periphery sense.

'_Keep him in sight.'_ Gohan focused a beam of energy into the void. _'Come on Vegeta, come look at the birdie.'_

For a moment, it seemed as though it was too little, too far away, when suddenly Vegeta wheeled around. He rocketed towards the only thing he could feel in the void.

'_Hold the anchor.'_ Gohan felt Piccolo's acknowledgement as he locked onto the Saiyan and away from the reality.

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Vegeta looked around him desperately. Had he died and not known it? Had his past crimes earned him this hell? Was this Hell?

One moment he had been speaking to the Namek, and the next, this place. This was so much worse than the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Inside that room, there had been a home base. Here there was nothing, no structures, no wind or fire; it was a void.

Vegeta flew, as hard and fast as he could. There had to be something, somewhere. Disoriented and unsure if he was coming or going, he almost missed it. There, right behind him, was a ki!

Gohan staggered as he materialized in the Fold beside his beam. The distance straining his mental link with Piccolo was excruciating. Bracing his legs to keep from crumpling under the sensation, he waited.

Vegeta approached the energy; stopping abruptly in front of Gohan. He narrowed his eyes; this was not the boy he knew. Even if he ignored the bleached hair, his eyes were wrong.

"Who are you?" Vegeta demanded.

"A friend, Vegeta, I'm a friend. You need to come with me." Gohan held his hand out. He sighed as Vegeta stared at it in obvious distrust. "Come now Vegeta, surely the Prince of all Saiyans isn't afraid."

Vegeta's pride flared at the insult. Snarling at the stranger, he grasped his hand.

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Piccolo lurched in the air as Gohan left him. The feeling coursing through his body reminded him of the first time he and the kid had tried to block for King Kai. Using every bit of control at his disposal, he held firm.

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The wait was becoming anxious for those watching. Shin started to step forward, to stop the Guardians' futile effort. As he did so, a blinding beam shot through the center of the whirlpool above them. Stumbling back, Shin shielded his face with his hands. Just as his vision cleared, he watched as one of his Guardians vanished.

Alarmed, everyone looked to Piccolo. He was visibly shaking. The light around him was flickering wildly; except for the beam. That bright beacon held steady.

A minute passed, then two. The warriors began to look at each other nervously. The thought that something had gone wrong was running through their minds. The light flared dramatically for just a heartbeat before going out. Gohan and Vegeta stood beside Piccolo.

"Dad!" Trunks flew to Vegeta, standing in front of him. "Are you okay?"

For just a brief moment, relief could be seen on Vegeta's face. Then the moment passed and his usual mask of arrogance was in place. He smirked at his son and crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course I am fine. I am a Saiyan."

Piccolo lowered himself cautiously to ground. Feeling grateful that at least their mental link was no longer stretched to the breaking point, he waited for the aftereffects to pass.

'_That was almost as bad as that ridiculous school trip.'_

Gohan silently chuckled as images from the survival trip flowed through Piccolo's mind. Looking at the sky, he judged the progression of time by the sun_. 'Well, at least we were only at it for a few hours this time instead two days of pure strain.'_

Shin motioned to Kibito. "Go restore them my friend."

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Gohan looked up at the brilliant blanket of stars overhead. Shin and Kibito had stayed to help with explanations, smoothing an awkward situation over. Both he and Piccolo had expected them to leave directly after, but they hadn't. Instead, the Kais had lingered. Now, the soft night had fallen on the Lookout. Everyone of this world had gone home; only the residents of the floating sanctuary remained.

Piccolo was in deep mediation, leaving Gohan with only a rich, soothing rumble for company. Breathing deeply, Gohan let the tension flow from his body. It had been close today; too close. Feeling a presence behind him, Gohan made a low sound of acknowledgement.

Shin came to stand beside the demi-Saiyan. As he had watched his Guardians fight for the life of a single mortal, Gohan's previous words had reverberated through his mind. It was a rare thing for him to feel foolish, but it had happened today.

He had chosen his Guardians knowing their beliefs and strong protective instincts. He had even experienced much of Gohan's life vicariously while marking him. He should have realized it earlier. This innocent, this pure soul, believed that he had blood on his hands. He believed that he had committed murder through his actions. Shin had felt it that day, but had been so overwhelmed that he had missed it, until today.

Never turning to look at his companion, Shin spoke softly. "Piccolo died once, in an act of selflessness. When he was brought back, his heart came back in a purified state and through his actions, there it remained."

Gohan hummed a small sound of confusion. Why was Shin telling him this? He was well aware of the pure heart Piccolo carried, whether the Namekian chose to admit it or not.

"Did you know that the mark you carry can only be given to the pure of heart? If there was truly innocent blood on your hands, if you had killed your father the way you believe, I would have been unable to put that brand on your chest. You, Gohan, are just as pure as your counterpart." With those words, Shin melted back into the darkness. A moment later, both Kais disappeared.

Gohan stood silently for a moment, his thoughts racing. Suddenly he could feel a strong sense of self-satisfaction coming from Piccolo.

Piccolo allowed a small smile to grace his face. He had been trying to tell Gohan that it was not his fault for six years. Hell, everyone had been trying to tell him that. '_Now do you believe me kid?'_

Piccolo's only answer was the feeling of a weight easing in Gohan's chest.

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A/N-Thank you to everyone that is enjoying this! Just to let you know, I will probably not be able to update for a few days. But hey, at least I didn't put this note at the end of the last chapter!


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